Naked man arrested running on U.S. 278

A man found wandering naked down Chaney Drive, later escaped hospital staff and began running down Ga. Highway 278 - with nothing but an IV on earlier today.

According to a press release from Covington Police Capt. Ken Malcom, officers were called to Chaney Drive where they found 22-year-old John Carpenter walking nude down the street. Officers transported him to Newton Medical Center for evaluation.

Approximately 20 minutes later, officers were called to the hospital when Carpenter ran out of the emergency room naked, with an IV in his arm.

Hospital employees attempted to stop him but were unable to do so. Officers found him running westbound down U.S. Highway 278 and attempted to place him in handcuffs but Carpenter reportedly pushed away from them and continued to run toward Mill Street.

At the intersection of Highway 278 and Mill Street, an officer used a stun gun to attempt to subdue Carpenter, who continued to fight. According to Malcom, Carpenter tried to strike the officers and tried to escape by diving into the driver's seat of a patrol car. The stun gun was used three times on Carpenter in order to subdue him and place him under arrest.

He was charged with public indecency, four counts of felony obstruction and interference with government property.